As every British parent knows to their cost, eating out with children can be an experience fraught with difficulty. Will the children behave? Will there be anything other than chicken nuggets on the children's menu? Will it cost an arm and a leg? It's a far cry from eating out whilst abroad on holiday where friendly waiters welcome children with open arms and the idea of having a separate menu for children is an alien concept.

That's why it'll come as little surprise to most parents that a survey of 141 children's meals from 15 cafes and restaurants in London found every one to fail the minimal standards recommended for schools. Many meals contained high levels of fat and saturated fat, and many had excessive calories and insufficient essential vitamins and minerals.'

Eighty per cent of the meals exceeded healthy guidelines for fate content and almost two thirds failed to meet the minimum recommended fibre content for 7 to 10-year-olds. Rachael Foulds, author of the research, said; 'Most meals analysed were energy dense and low in fibre and essential vitamins and minerals. We found a woeful lack of fruit and vegetables on the menus. Only two menus offered a selection of fresh vegetables, while those that included pudding in the meal failed to offer any fruit. Consequently it was very difficult to choose a healthy meal from the children's menus.'

• Click here for Raisingkids.co.uk's guide to family friendly restaurants across the UK
  
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